Exodus 40
Good News Translation
Setting Up and Dedicating the Tent of the Lord's Presence
40 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “On the first day of the first month set up the Tent of the Lord's presence. 3 Place in it the Covenant Box containing the Ten Commandments and put the curtain in front of it. 4 Bring in the table and place the equipment on it. Also bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps on it. 5 Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Covenant Box and hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tent. 6 Put in front of the Tent the altar for burning offerings. 7 Put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and fill it with water. 8 Put up the surrounding enclosure and hang the curtain at its entrance.
9 “Then dedicate the Tent and all its equipment by anointing it with the sacred oil, and it will be holy. 10 Next, dedicate the altar and all its equipment by anointing it, and it will be completely holy. 11 Also dedicate the washbasin and its base in the same way.
12 “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent, and have them take a ritual bath. 13 Dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him, and in this way consecrate him, so that he can serve me as priest. 14 Bring his sons and put the shirts on them. 15 Then anoint them, just as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for all time to come.”
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded. 17 So on the first day of the first month of the second year after they left Egypt, the Tent of the Lord's presence was set up. 18 Moses put down its bases, set up its frames, attached its crossbars, and put up its posts. 19 He spread out the covering over the Tent and put the outer covering over it, just as the Lord had commanded. 20 Then he took the two stone tablets and put them in the Covenant Box. He put the poles in the rings of the Box and put the lid on it. 21 Then he put the Box in the Tent and hung up the curtain. In this way he screened off the Covenant Box, just as the Lord had commanded.
22 He put the table in the Tent, on the north side outside the curtain, 23 and placed on it the bread offered to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded. 24 He put the lampstand in the Tent, on the south side, opposite the table, 25 and there in the Lord's presence he lit the lamps, just as the Lord had commanded. 26 He put the gold altar in the Tent, in front of the curtain, 27 and burned the sweet-smelling incense, just as the Lord had commanded. 28 He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tent, 29 and there in front of the curtain he placed the altar for burning offerings. On it he sacrificed the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded. 30 He put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and filled it with water. 31 Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there 32 whenever they went into the Tent or to the altar, just as the Lord had commanded. 33 Moses set up the enclosure around the Tent and the altar and hung the curtain at the entrance of the enclosure. So he finished all the work.
The Cloud over the Tent of the Lord's Presence(A)
34 (B)Then the cloud covered the Tent and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence filled it. 35 Because of this, Moses could not go into the Tent. 36 The Israelites moved their camp to another place only when the cloud lifted from the Tent. 37 As long as the cloud stayed there, they did not move their camp. 38 During all their wanderings they could see the cloud of the Lord's presence over the Tent during the day and a fire burning above it during the night.
Exodus 40
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed
40 The Lord spoke to Moses, 2 “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.(A) 3 You shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain.(B) 4 You shall bring in the table and arrange its setting, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. 5 You shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant and set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting 7 and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy.(C) 10 You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils and consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy.(D) 11 You shall also anoint the basin with its stand and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water(E) 13 and put on Aaron the sacred vestments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest.(F) 14 You shall bring his sons also and put tunics on them 15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests; their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all their generations.”(G)
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up. 18 Moses set up the tabernacle; he laid its bases and set up its frames and put in its poles and raised up its pillars, 19 and he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the covenant and put it into the ark and put the poles on the ark and set the cover above the ark,(H) 21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the curtain for screening and screened the ark of the covenant as the Lord had commanded Moses.(I) 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain,(J) 23 and set the bread in order on it before the Lord as the Lord had commanded Moses.(K) 24 He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord as the Lord had commanded Moses.(L) 26 He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the curtain(M) 27 and offered fragrant incense on it as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He also put in place the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle.(N) 29 He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing,(O) 31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32 When they went into the tent of meeting and when they approached the altar, they washed as the Lord had commanded Moses.(P) 33 He set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar and put up the screen at the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.
The Cloud and the Glory
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.(Q) 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey,(R) 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud[a] by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.(S)
Footnotes
- 40.38 Heb it
Exodus 40
Complete Jewish Bible
40 (RY: vii, LY: v) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “On the first day of the first month, you are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 3 Put in it the ark for the testimony, and conceal the ark with the curtain. 4 Bring in the table, and arrange its display. Bring in the menorah, and light its lamps. 5 Set the gold altar for incense in front of the ark for the testimony, and set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 6 Place the altar for burnt offerings in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. 7 Set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 Set up the courtyard all the way around, and hang up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
9 “Take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it — consecrate it with all its furnishings; then it will be holy. 10 Anoint the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils — consecrate the altar; then the altar will be especially holy. 11 Anoint the basin and its base, and consecrate it.
12 “Then bring Aharon and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13 Put the holy garments on Aharon, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me in the office of cohen. 14 Bring his sons, put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me in the office of cohen. Their anointing will signify that the office of cohen is theirs through all their generations.”
16 Moshe did this — he acted in accordance with everything Adonai had ordered him to do.
(LY: vi) 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year, the tabernacle was set up. 18 Moshe erected the tabernacle, put its sockets in place, put up its planks, put in its crossbars and set up its posts. 19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as Adonai had ordered Moshe. 20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark. 21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen and concealed the ark for the testimony, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
22 He put the table in the tent of meeting on the side of the tabernacle facing north, outside the curtain. 23 He arranged a row of bread on it before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
24 He put the menorah in the tent of meeting across from the table, on the side of the tabernacle facing south. 25 Then he lit the lamps before Adonai, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
26 He set the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain 27 and burned on it incense made from aromatic spices, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
(LY: vii) 28 He set up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. 29 The altar for burnt offerings he placed at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, 31 so that Moshe and Aharon and his sons could wash their hands and feet there — 32 so that they could wash when entering the tent of meeting and when approaching the altar, as Adonai had ordered Moshe.
33 Finally, he erected the courtyard around the tabernacle and the altar and set up the screen for the entrance to the courtyard.
(Maftir) 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle. 35 Moshe was unable to enter the tent of meeting, because the cloud remained on it, and the glory of Adonai filled the tabernacle.
36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Isra’el continued with all their travels. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not travel onward until the day when it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of Adonai was above the tabernacle during the day, and fire was in [the cloud] at night, so that all the house of Isra’el could see it throughout all their travels.
Haftarah P’kudei: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 7:51–8:21 (A); 7:40–50 (S)
B’rit Hadashah suggested reading for Parashah P’kudei: Revelation 15:5–8
Hazak, hazak, v’nit’chazek!
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.